Esperanza Nava Yanez

Mrs. Esperanza N. Yáñez, aged 84, died at home in Planada, California, on August 16, 2020, in the embrace of her family. Mrs. Yáñez was born in Mexico, and made her home in Planada for over 50 years. She is survived by her daughters Alicia Yáñez-Martínez and Rita González, her sons Ignacio, Simon, Robert, José Luis, Carlos, and Alberto Yáñez, her sons-in-law Gregorio and Roberto, her daughters-in-law Mercedes, Paula, Kim, Laura, and Robin, her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, her sisters Rita Contreras and Sofía Nava, her brother Adalberto Nava, and many, many more friends and family. She is preceded in death by her husband Ignacio Yáñez, her daughter Etelvira López, her parents Simón and Ester Nava, her grandsons Juan Antonio and Ricardo Daniel Martínez, and several siblings.

Mrs. Yáñez was a vibrant and beloved member of the community, and a respected and cherished member of her congregation. A person of deep and sincere faith, she worshipped with the Arboleda congregation of the Merced Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, where she was an active participant in Bible study. Mrs. Yáñez was not a very vocal person, choosing instead to demonstrate her love and devotion through actions and service. As a young widow, Mrs. Yáñez raised her children on her own, creating a strong and nurturing home that was the center of a large and extended loving family. Mrs. Yáñez’s excellent cooking was legendary, despite her humble reserve, and many were made welcome at her table and home, and felt the love and affection in her meals. Her love and example live on in her family.

Mrs. Yáñez touched many lives, and her loss is deeply felt. Her memory is for a blessing. A private graveside memorial will be held on September 8, 2020, at Calvary Cemetery in Merced, where she will be laid to rest alongside her husband.